Latte

BevNET Review

Last Updated: 5/28/2013 10:04 AM

ZICO’s Latte variety is a blend of coconut water from concentrate, sugar, coconut cream, natural coffee and vanilla. The product is part coconut water line extension and part coffee drink, with the more notable part of the latter being the added caffeine (85mg -- enough to be an energy drink) and the lack of dairy. From a flavor perspective, the final production samples definitely taste better than the original pre-release samples that we first tested. The formulation has a more pronounced coffee flavor, but also has more coconut water flavor than we remember. But, more importantly, the product tastes quite balanced, with a rich and creamy finish that can definitely hold its own with just about any coffee drink out there. From a positioning point of view, going into coffee is a logical next step for the category, although it’s definitely not as groundbreaking as the chocolate variety was, either for ZICO or for the category. It looks and feels like a part of the ZICO line, which is to say that this product is something that stays on the coconut water shelf (rather than the coffee shelf). Our only question for what they’ve set out to do is the use of the word “Latte,” which implies a milk heavy formulation rather than what’s actually in the bottle. Overall, we’re big fans of ZICO Latte.